Bitcoin Policy UK (BPUK) is resuming operations, with co-founder Susie Violet Ward returning as CEO and Dr. Cristina Llamas-Rey coming back as Chief Operating Officer.
Ward announced the move on X on Monday, September 21, saying the organisation had spent the past several months reducing costs and restructuring its work around the resources available to its largely volunteer-run team.
BPUK entered its consolidation phase earlier this year after funding failed to materialise. Back in January, Ward said she was stepping back as CEO and that the initiative was moving toward a “minimal maintenance mode.” .
In January, I reached the point where I could not justify taking recurring donations when we did not have the resources to operate properly” wrote Ward. “Scaling back was the responsible thing to do. The aim was to keep BPUK going while we cut costs and rebuilt around what we could actually sustain. That is what we have done.”
While today’s announcement marks a reversal of that plan, Ward stressed that BPUK remains unfunded and will continue operating with limited resources.
“The aim was to keep BPUK going while we cut costs and rebuilt around what we could actually sustain. That is what we have done,” she said.
Bitcoin Policy UK is coming out of consolidation and I am resuming my role as CEO. Dr Cristina Llamas-Rey is returning as COO.
Getting here has not been easy. I have never taken a salary from BPUK, and the organisation is still run by a small team of volunteers giving their time… pic.twitter.com/dtjoXDGJ1C
— Decentra Suze (@DecentraSuze) September 21, 2026
According to BPUK, it distributed its 2026 Bitcoin Manifesto to all 650 UK MPs. The manifesto pushes for a handful of changes: scrapping rules the group considers overly restrictive, lifting the ban on retail access to spot Bitcoin ETFs, introducing capital-gains tax exemptions, and several other tax reforms.
The organisation has also kept responding to government and regulatory consultations. That includes submissions to HMRC on crypto lending and stablecoin taxation, a response to a parliamentary inquiry into debanking, comments on the government’s digital ID plans, and a reply to the FCA’s proposed crypto rules.
Beyond that, BPUK’s work has also covered Bitcoin’s treatment under UK property law. In December 2025, the Property (Digital Assets etc.) Act 2025 received Royal Assent, establishing digital assets as a third category of property under English and Welsh law.
As Ward stated at the time, the change meant “a third category of property now exists and it finally gives legal protection to the sats you hold.”
For now, according to the BPUK boss, the group will prioritize projects where its limited volunteer capacity can have the greatest impact, while seeking funding to expand beyond its current volunteer model.